Tag Archives: Radios in Movies

DUST “Voskhod”: A Sci-Fi short that features ham radio

4 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Scott Gamble, who shares the following science fiction short film called “Voskhod” by DUST.

The synopsis:

After repairing his HAM radio using parts found in the forest, a recluse radio operator receives a distress call from a stranded Soviet cosmonaut in orbit.

I thoroughly enjoyed this short film. We radio enthusiasts will certainly notice some inaccuracies on the radio side of things–feel free to comment on those–but I suggest you exercise a willing suspension of disbelief and truly enjoy this piece!

Click here to view on YouTube.

Can you identify the National radio model? Please comment!

A Radio Time Machine in “The Twilight Zone”

9 Replies

Photo of Dean Jagger from The Twilight Zone episode Static. Jagger plays Ed Lindsay, a man whose old radio is able to receive radio broadcasts from years past. (Source: Wikipedia)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who writes:

[While] watching some original episodes of The Twilight Zone on Netflix, I discovered the March 10, 1961 episode entitled “Static”. I think you’d especially appreciate it. If you haven’t seen it, do check it out–it’s about a radio time machine!

There’re a couple of radios featured in the show (a big console tube radio and a transistor portable) but I couldn’t identify them. Maybe you or readers of the SWLing Post
can?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_(The_Twilight_Zone)

Spoiler Alert — if you haven’t seen this episode yet, you might want to hold off on reading about it on Wikipedia.

Click here to view on Netflix.

If you don’t have Netflix, you can watch this episode on YouTube in “Standard Definition” for $1.99. They also offer it in “High Definition” for $2.99. Apparently YouTube figured out a how to make a TV time machine that converts 1961 B&W TV broadcasts to HDTV!

Click here to check it out on YouTube.

Thanks so much, Ed!  I have not seen this episode yet, but I will soon! I thought I had seen all of The Twilight Zone episodes (as a kid and not in any particular order), but I don’t recall this one. I’m looking forward to it!

“The Spy” dramatizes careless use of covert QRP HF CW transmissions

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who writes:

The new 6-part Netflix series ‘The Spy’ about the Mossad agent Eli Cohen (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) who infiltrated Syrian military intelligence from 1962-1965 dramatizes his careless use of QRP HF CW transmissions in Damascus, which were DF’d to track him down.

SWLing Post readers might find the series interesting, especially segments depicting Mossad’s use of covert QRP HF CW transmissions.

Radio-savvy viewers will find unintended humor in the use of a transistor AM radio circuit board, tiny batteries, and no antenna(!) to send CW messages from Damascus to Israel–and in the comical depiction of a Soviet/Syrian radio HF DF van. You’d think a TV series with star power could’ve found a willing ham or film crew member to lend some basic technical expertise.

Links:

Thanks for sharing, Ed! I’m sure this is a great series. And, yes, I suppose this wouldn’t be the first time the movie industry made an attempt at authenticity but fell just a little short! Since that’s such a key part of the film (no pun intended!), you would think they could have consulted an expert to make the setup authentic while preserving the integrity of the scene.

Trans-Oceanic spotted in Humphrey Bogart movie

14 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who writes:

I’m something of a Film Noir fan, so I was pleased to have tracked down “Dead Reckoning” on Amazon recently.

Starring Humphrey Bogart and Lizabeth Scott, Bogart’s character is seen early on in this 1947 film listening to police chatter on his bed side radio.

The police conversation sounds a bit contrived, serving the purpose of advancing the story of course, though I’m wondering if this type of radio could be used this way – I’m sure there are experts who would know.

Please comment if you can answer Mark’s question!

Thanks for sharing, Mark. Like you, I love Film Noir and pretty much anything starring Bogie (or especially Lauren Bacall)!

Adid spots a Racal receiver in an episode of “White Gold”

Leave a reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adid, who writes:

I just watched first episode of Netflix’s “White Gold” when out of the blue I saw that rack.

The rack has no significance in that scene (that dates to the 1980’s) may be because it was cut much shorter than in the original script.

The Radio set in the rack looks off, I think it’s a Racal RA17.

Yes, indeed, I believe that’s a Racal RA17 in the rack! Thanks for sharing, Adi!

Radio in the third season of “Stranger Things”

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who writes:

I started to watch season 3 of “Stranger Things”.

In the first chapter, “Dustin” uses a “ham radio” rig to contact his new girlfriend and builts a strange Antenna in the top of a hill. She didn´t answer, but he listens a coded transmission in Russian.

Thank you for sharing, David! Stranger Things certainly has a number of interesting radio references!

Maarconi Mathaai: A radio-centric teaser trailer

2 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nithin George, who shares this teaser trailer of an upcoming Malaysian film called “Maarconi Mathaai“:

Click here to view on YouTube.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t understand the dialog in this trailer, but it certainly appears that Nithin is correct in saying that it’s a “film dedicated to all radio lovers.”

Thanks for sharing this, Nithin!